Manuel Noriega -- As dictator from 1983 to 1989, the former general and Central Intelligence Agency source was accused of rigging elections, having ties to drug traffickers and ordering the killings of opponents. His "Dignity Battalions" broke up protests with baseball bats. After 22 years in U.S. and French jails, Noriega was returned to Panama in December 2011 to face murder and embezzlement charges connected to his six-year rule.

He also asked for forgiveness "from any person who feels offended, affected, harmed or humiliated by my actions or by those of my superiors as they carried out orders, or by those of my subordinates, during the responsibility of my civil and military government."

The day after Noriega's remarks, Varela said "it's time to forgive. The Panamanian people have moved on from that period of dictatorship."